November 22^nd, 2004 (10:39pm) - Electronic Arts has announced that The Urbz: Sims in the City and Madden NFL 2005 for the Nintendo DS have shipped to retail outlets nationwide.

“Today is a great day for gamers worldwide,” said Jordan Edelstein, Senior Product Manager at EA. “The Nintendo Dual Screen is really innovative hardware. We couldn’t be more excited help introduce players to an all new gaming experience with two of our biggest, most exciting franchises.”

The Urbz: Sims in the City and Madden NFL 2005 both take advantage of the unique Nintendo DS features. The Urbz: Sims in the City benefits from the one-of-a-kind Nintendo DS capabilities by offering players a touch-screen input and a multitude of in-game features that are not available in any other version of the game. Exclusive features for the Nintendo DS include 24 objects, a unique touch-screen menu system, custom painting mode, 6 new minigames, 7 new characters and 5 unique pet species that players can create with the special in-game ‘gene manipulator’.

Like The Urbz, the new Madden NFL 2005 game for the Nintendo DS gives players unprecedented control during gameplay. Gamers can now use the Nintendo DS touch screen to call plays, utilize the kick meter and select audibles at the line of scrimmage. The second screen also is home to Field Radar, which allows gamers to see where all 22 players are on the field while staying in the heart of the action on the other screen. Madden NFL 2005 breaks new ground by allowing players to go head-to-head via wireless play. The game delivers unprecedented 3D graphics while featuring authentic uniforms for all 32 NFL teams and player portraits for each NFL player. With a full season mode and fun game modes such as Situation Mode and 2-Minute Drill, Madden NFL 2005 for the Nintendo DS delivers its signature level of depth in the palm of your hand.